members recipes

Opor ayam is an Indonesian chicken dish originated from central to eastern part of Java islands. This is usually served to enliven Eid ul-Fitr in our tradition, along with ketupat and sambal goreng kentang (chili-fried potato).

Ingredients
1 small free range chicken (cut into eight or leave whole)

1 lemon (squeeze the juice out)

1 teaspoon coriander

½ teaspoon cumin seed

4 candlenuts

½ teaspoon white peppercorn

½ teaspoon chopped turmeric

½ tablespoon chopped ginger

1 tablespoon chopped galangal

5 cloves garlic

7 shallots

3 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon tamarind juice

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar

2 stalks lemon-grass (bruised)

5 kaffir lime leaves

3 salam leaves (can be substitute with bay leaves)

750 ml thin coconut milk

250 ml thick coconut milk

A handful of lime basil leaves (optional)

Fried shallot for serving

Method
1. Soak chicken with lemon juice for 30 minutes then rinse off.
2. Toast coriander, cumin and candlenut. Refine them using mortar and pestle, along with peppercorn, turmeric, ginger, galangal, garlic and shallot.
3. Pre-heat a pan with oil. Add spice paste and stir until aromatic. Add tamarind juice, salt, sugar, lemon-grass, kaffir lime leaf and salam leaf.
4. Put in the chicken until all coated with spices, add coconut milk. Continue to boil for 30 minutes, then add lime basil leaves. Cook for another 15 minutes.
5. Serve in a bowl, sprinkle with fried shallot.

Yield 2 serves